Page 35 of Wrecked
Chapter Fifteen
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Payton
The dark. Everything bad happens when it’s dark.
I need to get out of here. I’m not going to stick around and see how much worse it can get. I’ve done that long enough. Not even realizing I’m crying, until I blink my wide eyes. My body shakes with a fear I have never felt before. It’s consuming, it’s powerful, it’s real.
My lungs burn I’m breathing so hard. I throw some clothes into a duffle bag. I have no idea what I’m grabbing, I can’t even focus on it. It’s as though I’m rushing, but not moving at all.
Faster. You need to move faster. Grabbing my phone, and my purse, I toss the bag over my shoulder. My body is shaking as I slowly make my way to the stairs. Peeking over, I can see Jake pacing the living room.
Tears are running down my face, as I grip tightly onto the railing. Walking down the stairs, trying to put on a face of bravery, that I don’t feel. It seems to take forever to make my way down. The fear of what will be waiting when I face him, has my heart pounding in my chest.
Where am I going to go? What the hell am I going to do? I have no idea. The only thing I know is this will never happen to me again. I will never allow it to. Even so, trying to figure out what to do next seems impossible right now. My body is not my own right now, and it’s taking all my effort just to get down the stairs. I choke back a sob, shaking my head. No. Not now. I need to get out of here before I break down. Because once that happens, it will be impossible to stop. My tears will never dry.
Reaching the entryway of the house that has been mine for the last four years, wraps me in dread. There are no memories I want to take. Nothing. I want to leave it all here, where it belongs.
Jake notices me by the door and I take a deep breath. “I’m leaving. I’m not sticking around to be your punching bag.”
He laughs, sipping his beer. “Payton, it was one slap. Don’t be fucking dramatic.”
“One physical slap. You’ve been beating me down for years and I’m done.” I don’t know where I find the courage to say it, but I do. Opening the door, I turn my back on him. That’s when the beer bottle smashes against the wall next to me, causing me to jump.
“Good. Go. I’ve fucking wasted too many years with you,” he shouts, as I rush out the door.
A noise outside has my knees go weak. My heart stops beating and my stomach churns. I need to go. Adrenaline kicks in and I sprint to the car, not bothering to even close the door behind me. I need to get into the car, once I’m in I’m safer. Unlocking the door as I run, I open the door and with a shaky hand push the key into the ignition. Hearing the car roar to life, stops me. Where am I going?
Sitting there playing out the scenes like a flip book. One by one they flash through my head. A noise breaks through my thoughts, and I realize it’s me. I’m sobbing and screaming. I should have gone a long time ago, I shouldn’t have waited.
I need to go. I need to be gone before he tries to force me to stay. Before I can’t go. Throwing the car into reverse, I peel out, flying out of the long driveway.
The dark. Everything bad happens when it’s dark.
Getting a few miles up the road, I pull over. I can hardly see I’m crying so hard. But I need to keep going. I continue to drive and no matter how far I get, I feel no safer. My only thought is my dad. I don’t want to bring this to his door step, but I need to be somewhere no one knows about, that I’ve never mentioned. The other side of the country. That’s where I need to be.
I force myself to keep driving, even though the pain is unbearable. I’m having a hard time seeing, my body shakes, and my head spins out of control.
Just go. Don’t look back. Keep driving until you are safe.
